Dublin , Ireland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Dublin on Saturday to remember a woman who died after being refused an abortion and to demand a change to the country 's laws .

Savita Halappanavar , 31 , went into a hospital on October 21 complaining of back pain . She was 17 weeks pregnant at the time .

The doctors who examined her told her she was having a miscarriage but denied her an abortion even though she was in extreme pain , her husband has said . Halappanavar died of septicemia , or a blood infection , at the hospital .

Chanting `` never again , never again '' protesters marched to government buildings and held a candlelit vigil in Dublin .

Vigils were also held other cities , including Galway , where Halappanavar died , and outside the Irish Embassy in London .

`` I 'm here today to stand up for women 's rights . And I think the government should legislate and stop messing around , '' said Patrick O'Neill , a protester .

Abortions laws in Ireland are strict and terminations can only carried out in exceptional circumstances .

Twenty years ago , the Irish Supreme Court ruled abortions are allowed when there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother . But the ruling was never been enacted into law , meaning there is little clarity for doctors or patients as to when an abortion can and ca n't take place .

It is this Supreme Court ruling that some Irish people now want made into law .

Gerry Adams , leader of Ireland 's Sinn Fein political party , has said it 's time for the government to legislate for abortion in certain medical cases .

Other politicians have called called for an investigation into Halappanavar 's death .

Her death is `` particularly tragic and harrowing , and shocking to all concerned , '' said Irish opposition lawmaker Micheal Martin .

He has called for an independent inquiry into the case `` with personnel from outside the country to participate on such a panel of inquiry . ''

The Irish government needs to `` establish the full circumstances '' of her death , he said .

The government has said it will launch an investigation , but details , including who will lead it , remain elusive . The government has said it will include the Halappanavar family in the inquiry .

The hospital expressed sympathy to Halappanavar 's husband , and noted in a statement that `` the facts of this tragic case have yet to be established . ''

The hospital is conducting a review of the incident , as it does will all unexpected deaths . The Galway Roscommon University Hospitals Group released a statement saying , `` In the case of a sudden maternal death , these procedures are followed : notification of the death to the coroner ; notification of the death to the HSE 's National Incident Management Team ; the completion of a maternal death notification form . These national procedures are being followed by Galway University Hospital . ''

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Strict laws are under fire after the death of a woman who was refused an abortion

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`` Never again , never again , '' protesters chant in the Irish capital

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The Irish government has said it will investigate Halappanavar 's death